Drink dispensing machine



Oct. 29, 1935. 1 QC 2,019,016

DRINK DISPENSING MACHINE 'Filed Jan. 24, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet. 1

INVENTOR (JAMES How/m0 MCLELLAN ATTORNEYS Oct. 29, 1935. 'J, H. McLELLAN 2,019,016

DRINK DISPENSING MACHINE V Filed Jan. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JAMES HowARnMcLELLA/v ATTORNEYE Oct. 29, 1935. MQLELLAN 2,019,016

DRINK DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 24, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR JAMES HOWARD MCLELLAN ATTORNEYS Patented 29, 1935 PATENT OFFICE DRINK GHAOHINE Jmnmnmvummmm Application January 2.4.1924," Serial n 138,074

9 Claims. (01. ass-c1) filling in a position accessible to the purchaser.

Other objects are to provide a mechanism which is positive in its action and is not dependent on springs to carry a part through one stroke of its movement, and a still further object is to provide means for returning a coin entered into the coin lock, to the purchaser, if a cup is not in position to be filled, as will be more fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a front view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view with the cup carrier removed.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cup arm and door operating movement.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cup carrier rotating means.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views of the cup arm swing, valve, door and cup arm drop operating movements respectively, the cams of these movements all being shown in the same relative position.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the main switch controls.

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of same.

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of the coin controlled switch.

Fig. 12 is a wiring diagram.

Fig. 13 is an end view of the invention.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral I indicates a base supporting a motor 2 which imparts rotation through a worm and worm wheel 3 to a horizontal shaft 4, the drive from this latter shaft is communicated through a worm and worm wheel 5 to a shaft 6 upon which a sleeve I is journalled. The sleeve 1 is fitted at one end with a worm 8 and at the other with a clutch plate 3 forming part of a clutch l0. Slidably mounted and suitably keyed to the shaft 6 is a collar H having at one end a clutch plate l2 also forming part of the clutch l0. Carried in suitable bearings from the base is a vertical cam shaft l3 which is driven through a worm wheel H from the worm 8.

Mounted upon an elevated horizontal plate I5 is a cup carrier I 6 which consists of a vertical spindle ll carrying a spider III which supports a plurality of columns of nested cups l9 and is adapted to drop one cup at each predetermined interval of rotation of the spindle l'I.

At the upper extremity of the cam shaft I3 is a crank 23, see Figures 1 and 4. On the base of the spindle l I a ratchet wheel 2| 'is secured, and rockingly mounted upon the spindle adjacent the wheel 2| is a lever 22 carrying a spring pressed pawl 23, the free end of the lever is connected by a rod 24 to the crank 20, so that at each rotation of the cam shaft I3 the cup carrier is turned to drop a cup into a cup arm to be hereinafter described.

Fitted upon the cam shaft l3 are four cams respectively. indicated by the numerals '25, 28, 21 and 28. While some of the cams are shown as face cams for the purpose of simplicity, it will be obvious that they may be provided with cam paths so as to impart both forward and return motion to their several associated levers and parts.

The path of the cam 25 is divided into segments A, B, C and D, that of cam 26 into segments E and F, that of cam 21 into segments G and H, and that of cam 28 into segments I and J, the purpose of which will be apparent in the description of the cycle of operations of the machine.

Slidably mountedin vertical bearings 29 and 30 is a grooved shaft 3! which engages intermediate its length, a toothed quadrant 32. Secured to the shaft is a boss 33 from which a cup arm 34 extends. A key 35 is fitted in the quadrant which engages the groove of the shaft 3| so that the rocking of the shaft will impart a swinging movement to the cup arm.

A bell crank 36 is journalled upon a shaft 31 and is provided at one end with a roller 38 engaging the path of the cam 25 and at its opposite end a gear segment 39 which meshes with the quadrant 32, so that the rotation of said cam will impart a reciprocal swinging movement to the cup arm 35.

The cam 26, see Figure 8, engages a roller 40 on a lever 4| which carries at its fulcrum a segment of a bevel pinion 42, this pinion engages a similar bevel gear 43 which raises and lowers a horizontally mounted lever 44, the free end of which engages the lower end of the shaft 3| of the cup arm, so that simultaneously the cup arm is raised and lowered.

Above the path of a cup carried by the cup arm 34 is a valve 45 shown in dotted line in Figure 1 and in full line in Figures 2 and 6, which communicate with a measured source of liquid supply through a port 46 and is provided with a discharge outlet 41. The valve is fitted with a plunger 48 and a rod 49 which are urged outwards or to close, by a compression spring 50.

Mounted on a vertical shaft 5| is a lever 52, see

Figure 6, which is provided intennediate its length with a roller 88 enga ng the path of the cam 28. nected by a rod 84 to a lever 88 which is secured to a vertical shaft 88 to which is also secured an arm 81 the free end of which engages the plunger rod 48 to thrust it inwardly in response to the rotation of the cam 28, and to so dispose the plunger 48 as to provide communication between the port 48 and the discharge outlet 41 to permit the discharge of the measured quantity of liquid into the cup l8 supported below said discharge outlet.

Secured to the shaft 88 is a short crank 88 which is connected to a push rod 88, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Also mounted upon the shaft 8| is a lever 88 having a roller 8| intermediate its length which engages the path of the cam 21. The free end of this lever is connected by a rod 82 to a quadrant 88 shown in dotted line in Figure 1 which carries an arcuate door 64. The quadrant 88 is pivoted below a delivery shelf 85 which preferably extends inwardly from the outer covering of the machine and is surmounted by side walls 88 and a top wall, not shown, so as to form a delivery recess 81 and provide access to the delivered cup from the outside of the machine.

As a means for preventing damage to the machine through malicious entry of an obstruction to the closing of the door to the delivery recess the connecting rod 82 is made telescopic and a spring is provided to maintain it normally in extended form.

The cup arm 84 is provided at its free end with a c-shaped collar 68 between the ends of which a gap 68 is defined, and below this, mounted upon a horizontal shaft 18, see Figures 1 and 2, is a cup receiving tray 1| having a counterweight 12 sufficient to slightly raise the tray above the horizontal position when no cup is in the collar 88 and to be lowered to horizontal position when a cup is in said collar. Secured to one end of the shaft 18 is a crank 18 which is connected by a rod 14 to a swingingly mounted section of coin tube 15.

A coin chute 18 having ducts 11 and 18 is provided which communicates with a coin receiver below the machine, not shown, and a coin return recess 18 which is accessible from the exterior of the machine. The duct 18 leads downwardly directly from the coin lock to the recess "and is adapted to return slugs or defective coins, the duct 11 is adapted to convey coins from the coin lock to the coin receiver, after passing through the coin tube 18, or, if the tube is inclined as shown in dotted line in Figure 1, due to the absence of a cup upon the tray 1|, the coin is transferred from the duct 11 to the duct 18 and is dropped into the recess 18 for return to the would be purchaser. Normally projecting into the duct 11 is a trigger 88, see Figure 11, the upper end of which forms a latch 8| which slidably engages a spring tensioned rocker arm 82 of a switch 88. The rocker arm is slightly indented on the underside as at 84 to hold the latch in the position shown until the trigger is moved by the weight of a coin passing through the duct 11, and it is also provided with a stop 85 at its outer end to limit the opposite movement of said trigger to that shown in dotted line. The trigger when displaced by a coin enables the rocker arm 82 to be swung by its spring to close the switch 83.

Mounted parallel to the shaft 8 is a solenoid The free end of the lever 82 is con- 88, see Figures 1, 2, 8, 18, 11 and 12, connected in a circuit "X" from the power supply in which is included the switch 88 and a further switch 81; The armature of the solenoid is connected to a 88 having a fork 88 at one end which 5 engages the collar II to engage the clutch I8 and having a transverse pin 88 shown in dotted line in Figure 9. Engaging the pin 88 is the forked end of a bell crank 8|, the opposite end of which is adapted to be engaged by a spring 10 tensioned trigger 82 having a limited throw and is carried upon a disc 88 mounted upon the cam shaft l8, so that at each complete revolution of said shaft and'its earns 28, 28, 21 and 28 the armature of the solenoid is withdrawn to disen- 15 gage the clutch l8. Integral with the bell crank 8| is an'arm 84 having an insulated finger 88 which when themachine is at rest holds the contact points of a switch 88 open. This switch is included in a circuit Y controlling the motor 20 2and is placed close to the switch 81, so that as the solenoid 88 is energized and the bell crank 8| rocked to swing the arm 84 into the position shown in dotted line, the insulated finger will move to allow the switch 88 to close and start :5-

the motor and to open the switch 81 to open the solenoid circuit x". In order to prevent accidental movement of the armature and the rod 88 when the solenoid circuit X is open, a pin 81 extends from the arm 84 which slides past so a projection 88 on a spring tensioned latch lever 88.

When a coin has passed through the coin lock and entered the duct 11 it passes through the swinging coin tube 18, provided a cup is at rest is upon the tray H, and strikes the trigger 88, forcing it outwards from the duct and allowing the rocker arm 82 to swing and close the switch 88, the switch 81 being then closed in the solenoid circuit X, the solenoid 88 is energized, drawing 40 its armature and the rod 88 endwise to engage the clutch l8 and to swingthe arm 84 to close the switch 88 in the motor circuit Y and then to open the circuit X sothat the current ceases to flow through the solenoid. The free end of 45 the bell crank 8| is by this movement moved into the path of the spring tensioned trigger 82, which starts to move in response to the operation of the motor.

-The several cams during their rotation perso form the following functions through their associated parts :Cam 28 in moving through the arc A moves a cup, previously dropped into the collar 88 of the cup arm 84, under the discharge of the valve 45. The cam 28 in passing from the 5g arcs J to I opens the valve to discharge a given quantity of liquid into the cup. Subsequent to these two movements, a pause takes place in the cup arm swing during the travel of the arc B of cam 28 in contact with the roller, while the valve remains open to fill the cup. The roller engaging cam 28 in passing from the arcs I to J closes the valve and the cam 21 in passing from the arcs G to H opens the door 64 at the rear of the delivery recess and the roller engaging the cam 25 traverses the are C, thus swinging the cup arm to move the cup into the recess 81, no further movement of the cup arm takes place until the roller engaging cam 26 starts to enter the arc F, thereby causing a lowering of the cup arm to dispose the gap 88 of the cup collar at a point of lesser diameter of the cup when the return movement of the armdue to the roller ,engagingthearcDofcamfl willremovesaidu collar from the cup leaving the latter standing in the recess. As soon as the cup arm collar is removed from the recess, the roller engaging cam 26 starts to move outward from along the are I",

I thus restoring the cup arm to its raised position while it is still returning to its normal position of rest, and simultaneously, while the roller is passing from the arcs H to G on cam 21 the door is drawn to closed position. Simultaneously with the opening of the valve by the cam 28 the rod 55 is moved rearwardly to swing the trigger, to project into the duct TI and to swing the rocker arm 82 to close the switch 83.

The final movement in the rotation of the cam shaft I3 causes the spring tensioned trigger O2 to rock the bell crank ll, thus swinging the arm 94 to close the switch 81 in the solenoid circuit X and open the switch 9 in the motor circuit Y.

The rocking of the bell crank ll also imparts endwise movement tothe rod ll to open the clutch Iii, so that the momentum of the motor may be dissipated without imparting any movement to the cam shaft it or any of its associated parts. Just as the cam shaft it comes to rest the crank 20 will be disposed in the position shown, so that a further cup will be released from the cup carrier i6 and allowed to drop into the collar it of the cup arm ready for the cycle of operations to be completed.

When the machine is in operation and a cup has been carried beyond the end of the tray H in its passage to filling and delivery positions, the tray swings upwards, thus through the rod 14 swinging the deflecting section of the coin tube 15 into operative or inclined position, so that in the event of another person depositing a coin into the machine before the filled cup is delivered and the cup arm returned to starting point, the said coin will pass through the duct 11, thence through the deflector into the duct II and thence into the coin recess 19.

What I claim as my invention is:

1.Inadrinkdispenserhavingavalve,acup feeding means and a cup delivery shelf, a radial- 1y movable cup carrying arm adapted to receive a cup from the feeding means, means for moving the arm to dispose the cup to be filled by the valve, for holding the cup at rest during filling and to move said cup after filling to the delivery shelf and for returning said arm to cup receiving position, and means for releasingthe cup.

2. In a drink dispenser having a valve, a cup feeding means and a cup delivery shelf, a radially movable cup carrying arm adapted to receive a cup from the feeding means, means for moving the arm to dispose the cup to be filled by the valve, for holding the cup at rest during filling and to move said cup after filling to the delivery shelf, for returning said arm to cup receiving position, and means for lowering the arm when at delivery position for releasing the filled cup.

3. In a drink dispenser having a valve, a cup feeding means and a cup delivery shelf, a radially movable cup carrying arm adapted to receive a cup from the feeding means, a cam for moving the arm to dispose the cup to be filled by the valve, for holding the cup at rest during filling, to move said cup after filling to the delivery shelf and for returning said arm to cup receiving position.

4.Inadrinkdispenserhavingavalve,acup feeding means, a cup delivery shelf and means for receiving a cup from the feeding means for 5 moving it into filling position adjacent the valve and for depositing said cup after filling into the cup delivery shelf, a motor, a solenoid for connecting the motor to drive the cup receiving, filling and delivery means, a circuit for the solenoid, a switch within the circuit and means preventing access to the switch.

5. In a drink dispenser, a valve, a cup feeding means, a cup delivery shelf, and means for receiving a cup from the feeding means for moving it into filling position adjacent the valve and I for depositing said cup after filling into the cup delivery, a motor for drivin the cup moving means, a solenoid, and a circuit therefor, a clutch for communicating and disrupting said drive, 0 said clutch being engageable in response to the energizing of the solenoid, a switch for closing the solenoid circuit, and mechanical means actuated by the cup, moving means for withdrawing the armature of the solenoid to disconnect the clutch.

6. In a drink dispenser adapted to be mechanically driven and coin operated and having a cup arm for receiving a cup and passing it through a delivery opening after filling, a motor, a driven shaft and a clutch between the motor and the shaft, a solenoid for engaging the clutch, a rotatably mounted trigger carried by the shaft, a means interposed between the path of said trigger and the clutch for disengaging the clutch and withdrawing the armature of the solenoid on the engagement of said means by said trigger.

7. In a drink dispenser having a driven shaft,

a cup arm mounted upon a vertical shaft, said cup arm being adapted to receive a cup and to move said cup to a point of delivery, a valve for filling the cup, means engaging the cup arm shaft for lowering and for disengaging the cup arm from the filled cup and a cam upon the shaft for moving the cup arm, first to a position below the valve, thence to the point of delivery, one for operating the valve and one for operating the cup arm shaft lowering means.

8. In a drink dispenser having a driven shaft,

a delivery opening and a door for closing said so opening, a cup arm adapted to receive a cup. and to pass it through said opening, a valve for filling the cup, means for disengaging the cup arm from the filled cup, and a cam upon the shaft formoving the cup arm, one for operating the valve, one for operating the door and one for operating the cup disengaging means.

9.In a drink dispenser having a cup arm mounted upon a vertical shaft, said cup arm being adapted to receive a cup and move it to so a point of delivery, means for lowering and raising the shaft and the cup arm, an element in each of said moving means for rendering the movements of the cup arm from cup receiving position to point of delivery and return, and the as lowering and raising of the cup arm and its shaft positive throughout their cycles.

- JAMES HOWARD McLliLI-AN. 

